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Harlan Forris Freeze knew he was meant to create from a very early age. Singing came first, but at 54 years old, he is now venturing into the world of drawing, showcasing his work to the public for the first time.
“I loved to sing when I was young, but when I went to school I pretty much got attention for drawing,” Freeze said. “When I was in third grade, my school teacher asked me to draw a picture of her and she told my mom and daddy, ‘You’re son’s going to be an artist. I just want to tell y’all ahead of time.”
He continued to hone his skills throughout junior high and high school and as the years progressed, family members encouraged the Thibodaux native to make his work known to the world.
“My stepdad basically tried to starve the art out of me for many years,” he explained.
Little by little, Freeze focused his thoughts, putting pen to paper in artwork that now practically overflows from his bag. At some point during most days, he makes the half-mile trek from his home to the Bayou Blue Branch Library, where he sketches, details, colors and copies his works, putting them in protective sheets and adding them to binders.
The work is heavily riddled with political or religious undertones, but the artist said he doesn’t want the complex elements to overshadow the fact that his art is meant to inspire viewers to make up their own opinions about what is portrayed.
“My little brother told me one time, ‘Harlan, what is this picture about?”‘ Freeze remembered. “I told him, ‘It’s hard to explain.’ He said, ‘You know what? Don’t explain the art. Let people just feel what they want to feel.'”
Some the artist’s pictures are a bit more satirical with photos of familiar government officials woven within the thick black lines and vibrant colors.
Others are more light-hearted featuring mermaids, symbols Freeze said are metaphors for today’s chaotic world. The mermaids are often displayed within the realm of Nalrah Island, the artist’s first name spelled backward and a depiction of where he sees them in his head.
“What I started seeing was that [mermaids] are a perfect metaphor for everyone swimming in spiritual waters, trying to stay in touch with their soul,” Freeze said of the idea, which stemmed from novelist Anne Rice’s use of vampires as metaphors for the struggles all humans face. “At the same time, we are forced to deal with real life and challenges, which is like being on dry land… It’s almost like this world is getting so weird and it’s like what is wrong is right, what is left is right. I wanted these pictures to show, ‘Hey, it all seems crazy, but it’s still one beautiful package when it’s all said and done.'”
Each of Freeze’s drawings begin as images in his head, which he said primarily come to him while he sleeps.
“I close my eyes and I see the total, finished picture before I even draw it,” he explained. “The whole thing is there and sometimes I get to see a close-up of it. The next day I wake up and start drawing it and it looks just like I dreamed it the night before. It’s shocking that I get to see it like this.”
Over the next roughly 11 hours, Freeze completes the picture, following spiritual direction he said sometimes leads him to draw toward one direction or put certain images in specific places on the page.
Library employees recently noticed the artist’s work and encouraged him to display the pieces in the main lobby of the branch. Although he admits putting the pieces on display is scary, he said he is happy that he made the move to allow others to enjoy the works and knows he is on the right path to furthering his artistic abilities.
“My brother once said, ‘If you are going to be an artist, you have to not be afraid to show your Achilles’ heel. You have to let people see your vulnerability…” Freeze said. “I feel like I’m on course with this. I feel like it’s spiritual.”
Freeze’s artwork is on display at the entrance of the Bayou Blue Branch Library through the end of August.
Local artist Harland Forris Freeze shows off his works for the first time at the Bayou Blue Branch Library. The artist will be showing his pieces at the local public building throughout the month of August.
